People were hungry for it: Martin Freeman on ‘Black Panther’ success

“Black Panther” has gone on to become a culture phenomenon in the last year with its impact growing deeper with time and actor Martin Freeman feels its record-breaking success reflects that the film was the need of the hour.

The 46-year-old actor, who plays CIA agent Everett K Ross in the Ryan Coogler-directed film, said the audience was yearning for a game-changer and that is the reason why they lapped up the movie without any delay.

“People were hungry for it (the film). There were a lot of people who were dying to see it. It’s not often that people come up to you and say, ‘I’ve seen this film seven times. I take my mom, my dad.’ So, that’s rare in itself.

“As well as being a very good film, it also feels like a bit of a moment,” Freeman said in an appearance on PeopleTV’s “Couch Surfing”.

“Black Panther” is the first Marvel film to be led by a person of colour – Chadwick Boseman – and featuring a virtually all-black cast with Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong’o, Danai Gurira, Letitia Wright, Andy Serkis, among others.